Test run for Sunday - could I breathe?

[Anniemurph]

Could I hell as like   Not enough, anyway - I reckon I was up to about 75% of what I needed.  I did a flat 5k at what Asics kindly informed me was about race pace (ha!) which translates to a steady 7.25 mins/km or so.  At the end of 5k I was knackered and very glad to stop.  It's 10 days since I last ran and 8 days since I started the steroids.  I'm surprised at how much fitness I've lost, although I guess some of that just comes from generally feeling a bit poorly.

So my plan for Sunday is that I will take it easy, walk the hills, potter along the flat bits, pick up the pace a bit on the downhills and just enjoy the scenery, which will be pretty.  And cross the finish line.  I'm disappointed, because this is my first official 10k event and I actually 'trained' for this so I wanted to get a decent time, but hey, life, she is fickle, and there will be other races.

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

Yes sometimes the running gods desert us Annie. But hey you got out today and ran 5K and at a fairly speedy pace too, so well done you! I think your plan is a good one. Enjoy the race, don't kill yourself but I think you'll surprise yourself at what you'll be able to do on Sunday. Will there be bling? 

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Irishprincess]

I will do my best to enjoy myself and banish my inner 3-year-old

There had better be bling!  It had better be good bling!  Oops, there's the 3-year-old again

[ancientrunner Graduate10]

Good plan - you'll do your best and don't beat yourself up. All good experience for the next one.

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to ancientrunner]

Yes, I think that's the way to look at it, the first of many

[misswobble Graduate10]

Oh rotten eck!  Best laid plans an all that 😯

I hope it all goes off all right.  Have fun ☺

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

Ta.  Pass the gin.

It will be fun.  If nothing else, I get to drive through Chatsworth's Golden Gates, which will make me feel special

[Slowstart Graduate10]

How wonderful that you are back out there and that you can join in and compete on Sunday. It's tough that it won't be as planned but there will be plenty of opportunities in the future, and you have an excellent attitude which means you'll enjoy the day.

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Slowstart]

Thank you!  Yes, I need to adjust my attitude and just go and have fun in a lovely place   There might be cake afterwards as well

[Slowstart Graduate10 in reply to Anniemurph]

Cake!! Well that makes it worth all the effort. Save a slice of carrot cake for me.

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Slowstart]

My favourite!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

I was thinking about you this morning and wondering how you were So glad you are up and running...

You were out there and doing a good pace too... but take it steady, as you say?

Think of this as a dress-rehearsal for the main show...and just think..you might not go faster, but you will go longer...?

Good Luckx

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you, I think I will just have to count it as a good thing that I will be there at all and not fret too much about the actual event itself.  After all, at one point I didn't think I'd get there, so this is an improvement   Thank you for your good wishes and encouragement x

[misswobble Graduate10]

Driving through those gates will make you feel champion!  There will doubtless be cakes. They will be world class I expect.  One would hope so wouldn't one. 

Have a ball!

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

The gates are very gold and blingy, so that will be fab  

Thank you - I'll post afterwards, of course.  I will try to focus on the run and not just the cake.

[Hidden]

I feel like my lungs sort of warm up as I run, maybe letting your lungs sort of 'warm up' might work for you too? When I started c25k my lungs were the main thing holding me back for ages. I even had to start taking my inhaler with instead of just puffing on it afterwards when I got home. Your issues are different with the bronchitis and the steroids, but what helped me was to start each run reeeally slow, so as to never let myself feel my lungs were straining. I wouldn't pick up my pace until about 2k into the run, keeping my pace about 8:30/9min/km, which in itself can be difficult to do when instinctively you want to go faster. But I'd make up for it later as once my lungs adapted I could get some speed on. These days I've stopped needing my inhaler at all, which is amazing, but I still make sure I start slow. I realise it may be no fun to feel like you're at the back of the pack on Sunday, but going really properly slowly for the first part might help?

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

That's all really good advice, thank you.  I think I will be right at the back of the pack anyway.  You had to estimate your time and I gave a slow time knowing it was hilly, so I think I'll start at the back anyway, and I am planning to walk the hills if I have to because they are steep!  I think it will depend on the weather as well - it's been quite cold here for the last few days in the mornings, and I've been relying on my inhaler as well, so we'll see how that goes.  And I will take short walk breaks if I need to, so that I can at least finish.

It's great that you don't need your inhaler any more.  That must be very satisfying

[Hidden in reply to Anniemurph]

The last time I needed my inhaler it was because I ran up a lot of stairs for a train while carrying a heavy suitcase. Must have thought I had superhuman powers. But these days I carry my inhaler but really just never use it. It's such a release to just be able to breathe. You have all my sympathy. If you have cold winds that's bad for lungs too by the way, cold air can really wreak havoc Sounds like you've got a good attitude though, to just judge it on the day. But starting really really slowly might give you the best possible chance, still time yet to recover a bit more too. Good luck

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

How nice not to have to use your inhaler!  Normally I am fine, but the minute I get a cough (which, to be fair, is only once about every 18 months) I always seem to end up with bronchitis or worse  .  For running, though, I need to take my inhaler before I run especially if it's cold or smoggy, and I always have it with me, just in case.  Strong scents can set me off as well - there was an incident last year when a group of candidates all started to use the essential oil frankincense because one of them had it and said it was good for calmness.  12 of them used it all at the same time and it sent me into an asthma attack

We'll see what happens on Sunday.  Hopefully I'm overdramatising it and it will all be fine

[Hidden in reply to Anniemurph]

Wow that's so bad they set you off with frankincense. Goes to show it's in everyone's interests to keep things simple at group events, you never know who might be allergic to something. You don't sound like you're overdramatising. A cough from something like bronchitis takes a long time to go. I originally got my asthma after having proper flu, lasted weeks and the cough lasted months, I had bruises on my ribs to show for it, and an inhaler for about 5 years afterwards until last year. Learning to run seems to have reversed some of the damage, or made me more resilient, something's changed anyway

[AncientMum Graduate10]

Oh Annie, massive sympathies, I so know what you mean. I finished a 5 day course of steroids on Monday and I'm as weak as a baby. The steroids just suck out all your strength and vitality. Don't know why - I can barely get up a flight of stairs without feeling tired so can't imagine running a 10k. 😱😱 However, I think your plan is spot on. You're not on top form, so by deciding upfront that you're going to go slow and steady from the start, you're giving yourself the best possible chance of having  an enjoyable and successful day. It won't be your speediest 10k ever, but you can take pride in competing so soon after being ill. Good luck, go give those steroids hell!! X

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to AncientMum]

It's odd, isn't it, because the steroids are there to do good in terms of curing an infection and yet they wipe us out!  10 days has left me feeling flattened.  But I still really want to do this event, so the only way to tackle it is by readjusting my expectations and plodding

I hope you start to feel better soon.  Now that you've finished the course as well perhaps you'll start to pick up a bit.  I do hope so.

Thank you for your encouragement xx

[Hidden]

Good and not so Good, running really is a mixed bag sometimes. 

Your plan sounds the right way to approach it, then again you may surprise yourself😊

Don't be to hard on yourself , bling and cake at the end sounds a pretty good reward to me ☺

I hope the nlooming weather is better than it has been, fingers crossed for a good day for you 😊

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you!  Yes, the weather is the next thing to worry about   The first bit is on grass, so if it is raining or has been wet, we will all have soggy feet!  It can also be a bit cold up Chatsworth way, so although the official t-shirt is a vest top, I don't think I'll be wearing that on Sunday unless the forecast changes significantly!

Bling and cake are a very good reason for running

[GoogleMe Graduate10]

Good luck tomorrow Anniemurph! Let's hope you catch a break on the mad weather.

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to GoogleMe]

Thank you very much, J!  The weather has been rather unpleasant today, so let's hope that it relents tomorrow, as you say!

[poppypug Graduate10]

Anniemurph  ! Good Luck for tomorrow !

Sweep through those Golden Gates like the star you truly are, my lovely .

Hope all goes well for you and the weather is favourable .

Will look forward to reading your race report and seeing the bling ! xxx

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to poppypug]

Thank you, darling poppypug    The way the weather has been here today I may need to harness your pugs to get me through the 6-foot snowdrifts but I will do my very best and I will of course report back tomorrow xxx

[poppypug Graduate10]

Pugs saddled up and waiting Annie  

Flippin weather , it's a right bagatelle at the moment xxx